Probable Sons

ompany, as far as his bodily health was concerned. But at heart he was

elf and your feelings. And come down to our place for Christmas, w

l's parting words, and

hristmas. Why, I doubt if I shall leave my

as conning over an article he had just written, before a blazing fire, when there was a knock at the door. A frown came to his face as he turned to see who

ward, he

has c

says Harris said, 'He looked as if he could dance a jig for joy!' Oh, Uncle Edward, may I go to them? Nurse says it's too late, but I do want to be there. There's such a lot to be done now he has re

ing down there. It is getting quite dark, and as to one of my cattle being

tried to restrain. When her uncle spoke to her in

little sob in her voice. "Mrs. Maxwell promised me I shou

ofter tone. "And now be a sensible little woman, and wait patiently till the time comes. You may be sure hi

ms wound round Fritz's neck, confiding to him the whole story, and comforting herself by conjecturing how and where the meeting had taken place. Her

ill do the musi

as away the whole morning, and about one o'clock a message came from Mrs. Maxwell to ask if she might stay to dinner with them. So that it was not till nearly four in th

onstrance at last; "Sir Edward told me I could send you to him

e bright firelight showed her the figure of her uncle le

, "where have you been all day

l tell you all about it, if you like.

opposite side of the fireplace, making a pretty picture, as she leaned he

t Maxwell calls it, when Mrs. Maxwell and I talk

was the a

t the table for his breakfast. He got up when he saw me-he's a nice big man, uncle, but I think his hair wants cutting. We shook hands, and I told him I'd been expecting him ever so long. He looked rather shy, but after he had quite finished his breakfast, we had a very nice talk, and Mrs. Maxwell went bustling about getting dinner ready. Tommy told me all about himself from the very beginning, but I really quite forget some of it. He never kept any pi

l me any more of his misdoi

r, never would have come home until he was a good man, only one day he listened to a man preaching a sermon in the middle of

well. Now wasn't that wonderful, when it was Tommy himself he spoke to! Well, Tommy said he hadn't the face to go home till he was better, but Jack told him not to wait a day longer, for his

fool

that, waiting to make themselves better, instead of running home just as they

ares

know prodigal sons found it so difficult-the one in the Bible didn't, not when he once made up his mind. Well, and so Tommy g

asked Sir Edwar

always run or walk the whole way when I play the prodigal son. I begin rather slowly, because it looks a long way off, but when I come near I hurry.

her speech was too much for her unc

y disappointed you. Did he

hold of both his hands and squeezed them tight, and he gave a shout, and Mrs. Maxwell was doing her washing in the back yard, and she heard it, and she shook all over so that she could hardly walk. She cried so much when she saw Tommy that Maxwell had to pat her on the back and give her a glass of water; and Tommy he sat do

hen you are in disgrace and troubl

, and then Mrs. Maxwell came up, and her hands were all floury, for she was making an apple pudding, and she cried

her eyes looked wistfully int

came back, but Tommy seemed so sad that he made

nd something of the wistfulness in his little niece's face seemed

you saying? Have you

Are you tired? Nurse said I

ed, but it was n

ll means, little woman," he

e had finished, and wiped her eyes with her apron. I told them we must all be very merry, but Tommy wasn't, I'm afraid. He kept looking first at Mrs. Maxwell and then all round the kitchen, and then at Maxwell, and then he sighed very big sighs. He said he couldn't believe he was at home, but he told me, when I asked him quietly afterwards, that he was really very happy, he only sighed and looked sad because he thought how foolish he had been to stay away so long. I was very sorry for one thing about him, uncle. He wasn't in his best clothes. They were all

o happy that you did not want

o home? I can't think why they like staying away. It is so lovely to t

such fond parents as your friend T

hink it is worst of all to stay a long way off from God, because He does love them so. I wonder if it is that they don't know whether God will take them back. Tommy seemed half afraid till he came,

do now? Live on his father and mother, or

rather impatient. Mill

told me he was going to look for work directly, and Ma

nder-keeper, I suppose," and Sir Edward gave a